Trivantis

• Murder
• Assault
• Sexual Assault

  The act of rape is most absolutely seen as an unconscionable act worthy only of a mindless beast and subject to severe punishment. As society in Trivantis is overall sex positive and makes little legal division between individuals based on their genitalia or expression of identity, the act of intercourse is seen as one that should be given and not taken, almost semi-sacred in that trust should be involved.
  
  This is a yet another law that does not yet entirely apply to slaves along with murder and sennibalism - as technical property they lose their right to self-autonomy, but this is a strong point of growing contention in more philosophical groups. It is important to note that only a fraction of the slaving community treat their slaves poorly and many are even on track to earn their full citizenship back.
• Theft

  Including Piracy and Smuggling
• Arson
• Conspiracy Against The Empire
• Use of manipulative forces or magics on others - vampire thralling, mind control, etc. It is considered unconscionable to affect the free will of another sentient being in this way.
• Necromancy

  These sort of dark arts are punishable by immolation; crimes against the dead are not taken lightly and anyone caught using such dark magic is more than likely to be sentenced to death shortly.
• The selling or buying of sentient flesh and blood - dead and/or as intended for consumption.

• Religious Freedom

  
  ...save for worship of the darkest and most demonic of deities, particularly in any public fashion. There isn't much love for necromancers here - anything harmful to others, generally speaking. If you're not making yourself a nuisance, think as you please - might be subject to mockery by some depending, but the culture is well educated on whole and philosophy a swelling discipline.
• Sexuality and Identity

  
  While brutal in some aspects, this is also an overall sex positive society valuing individual expression and identity - most cultures here have very few hangups in regards to who one has intercourse with, how they choose to present, nor modest nudity. This is a city with plenty of bared female breasts without taboo - it might shock some foreigners at first, but one adapts.
  
  It is also of important note that in large part, particularly taur culture, women play an equal role in all things - sexism certainly exists, but dominating monster culture has no patience for it. There is even a large portion of the culture that recognizes gender outside of the binary, particularly 'third' genders comprised of both or even neither 'masculine' and 'feminine' traits.

• Sennibalism

  
  
  While it's been decreed illegal to buy or sell the flesh and blood of sentient beings as intended for consumption, sennibalism itself is not exactly illegal and the thriving slave trade makes enforcing the law difficult - murder is absolutely not tolerated, but the slaughter of slaves or 'owned flesh' by masters does not generally count and sennibalism itself is still a vital component of many local and nearby cultures. Including the minotaur, the naga, many therianthrope, and the drider.
  
  While sennibalism has not yet been outlawed due to strong voices (notably minotaur with religious rituals involving the consumption of their enemies), as a public practice it is highly discouraged and being pushed into the shadows. While the use of mind-altering substances is perfectly legal and even the norm, the darkest parts of the underground criminal trade instead deals in much darker things, including specific demands in fine dining.

When you're caught being a menace to society, do not expect to be thrown in jail for a duration of time and then let go - generally, when arrested one is held in a temporary prison at a guard tower until time for sentencing. When that happens a panel and judge will deem if you're to be sentenced to slavery, being branded or having fingers removed, exiled (potentially to one of the islands across the sea if you're a political prisoner), or outright executed. What sort of slavery you might go into varies greatly and includes domestic servitude and going to the mines, in the quarry across the strait. It is the mines that serve the function of a prison here and many are condemned to it for their crimes.

The city does have a prison at the top corner of the western wall, but being placed there is rare and reserved for political prisoners and those of particular status who might buy themselves that much. The law here is simultaneously more lenient and more brutal than other parts of the world in that much is tolerated in regards to personal freedoms, but maiming is believed to be more merciful than death.

In large part, capital punishment is replaced with enslavement, mutilation (blinding, removal of hands, etc.), flogging, public humiliation, exile, or financial compensations - the very rich can buy their way out of things sometimes and executions are not particularly common, saved for the most severe of criminal acts like murder, mind manipulation, or necromancy. However, a public execution is always quite the show and what constitutes 'murder' can sometimes be bent.

Generally, the punishment fits the crime. A nuisance might be fined or even exiled after enough trouble, although the latter does not tend to work particularly well - the city is simply too big. If you avoid being blinded or having fingers (or other unfortunate body parts) removed you might find yourself given a choice in bondage if you can argue against it being made for you - be a slave, work in the quarry, or entertain the masses by fighting.

The first is sometimes time based depending on the crime - or at least comes with the opportunity to earn the right to be a citizen again. In the secondary case your sentence is often timed when not permanent, with a small chance of finding something worth buying your freedom with sooner. The third, great chances of earning freedom through fame and glory, but only if you're a skilled warrior and are willing to accept the high risk of horrible death.

In some circumstances, depending on who you are and what you've done, asylum might be found in one of the many churches and temples in the city - however, such asylum can be an imprisonment of its own.




Trivantis has an enormous slave market in what is often called The Valley of Lamentations. A thriving trade enterprise fueled by prisoners of war, slaves are brought in from all over to be bought and sold here - the great quarries are always in need of more workers, households and craftsmen in need of more hands, arena entertainment, and in the underground...

...well, far less pleasant demands. There are merchants who come from the far north once a year mainly to deal in the slave trade and most households in the greater districts will have at least one. However, egalitarian views are gaining ground, and the nature of slavery is beginning to shift. It is a heavily discussed topic. The concept of abolitionism is not unheard of and more domestic slaves are actually closer to servants than prisoners.

• A great deal of slaves are captured in border skirmishes along the edges of the savage sea.
  
• The majority of slaves are owned by the elite as domestics and workers.
  
• A good 40% of all slaves in the city are kallin dwarves. It's the only example of race playing a part in being enslaved - outside of the dwarves, all people are free game and none in particular targeted.
  
• Generally speaking, the more laborious and unpleasant jobs go to those who have been enslaved as punishment - the mine, mills, and certain farms for instance. It can be argued that the number of those who work the mines are equal to that of the many who work in agriculture.
  
• Not all of those working the fields of the wealthy are slaves - many are indentured servants, peasants bound to their lord and sometimes working under an agreement for a small percentage of the yield. The industrious can turn this around and make it the foundation for their independence.
  
• Educated slaves are valued more highly over the illiterate as individuals of skill and merit. A well educated slave might even be granted the right to own property and earn their own money.
  
• An educated slave of decent ranking might have the right to file a complaint against a cruel master. Generally such appeals only have merit in high society, where domestic slaves have become almost servants and are expected to be treated with some amount of dignity. The officials responsible for enforcing 'civilized' behavior are only able and willing to do their job in certain circles of city life, unfortunately.
  
• Slaves have the right to marry with permission, but it grants them no special rights and their children will be slaves.
  
• In rare cases a slave drafted into the army might find himself earning his freedom - or a warrior in the Colosseum, should they gain the favor and love of the people.
  
• A pardon for just about any crime can be granted to a quarry worker who finds the rare 'blood stone' known as duml - save for a kallin dwarf, mind you.
  
• There is a somewhat fluid nature to slavery depending on who you are; a slave can earn rank and influence to the point of a prestige that grants them their freedom. There are many court eunuch and soldiers that are examples of this.
  
• The practice of manumission or of freeing your slave is starting to grow in prominence. There are many wealthy families that make a point to give loyal house servants their full citizenship on a yearly basis as tradition.
  
• A freed individual gains full rights from voting to holding public office - as long as they're eligible to become a citizen again, of course. This isn't always as simple as simply living in the city.
  
• There are bounty hunters and human traffickers that specialize in hunting down and returning escaped slaves. They make a lot of money, but are considered vile and brutal individuals by even some of the foulest slavers.
  
• A basic unskilled slave would range somewhere from sixty to a hundred gold pieces or less, depending on age and health. A great range of prices extends from there depending on details - a young, healthy, and good looking individual with even general skills can reach up to 1600 gold pieces. A very skilled gladiator or very rare specimen might go for tens of thousands.

While castration has been outlawed outside of severe punishment, eunuchs are still popular as 'reliable' servants and can fetch prices as much as three times that of a normal slave - they are imported under high demand and frequently found in rich households as well as palace and court. They are often singers, soldiers, and harem guards - outside of slavery they have found growing power as government officials and courtiers. There is at least one palace in the city employing an archieunuch (much like a chamberlain) overseeing his own officer of eunuch that carry out official duties for the court.

That being said, not all eunuchs are slaves - as severe punishment, a failed usurper, rebels and conspirators, or even conquered rulers can also end up as eunuchs. It's a less and less common punishment and most examples are older individuals, but it still happens on rare occasion.

The empire holds its ground behind a powerful and well-disciplined military force. It is currently a time of peace, but concerns are growing in regard to an increasingly aggressive western empire. This distant, but neighboring nation of men, elves, and even some beast folk are on a holy crusade, something the taur empire does not abide by. The idea of a 'holy war' comes across to them as a perverse excuse.

Land Guard

Sky Guard

The sky guard are put through strenuous training – the cliffs and ocean winds make for extreme conditioning and the flying division are some of the most daredevil fighters around. In Trivantis flyers of bold warrior nature are highly valued and always in demand for the specialized force.

They look over the quarry, the cliffsides, the ports, and those of highest rank keep keen eye over palace and city gates.

Forest Guard

The Quarry Guard

While a great deal of the sky guard watch over the quarry, the ground crew actually running the prison mines are a rough and cutthroat crew. The ranks favor minotaur in positions of power, often corrupt individuals who are happy to work with the scum living among the slaves in the quarry settlements, which little more than camps among the ruins. In exchange for turning a blind eye, these representatives of The Underworld act as a secondary guard preventing escape.

Additional Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_army